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| 29 FEBRUARY 2008 | . | |
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| 29 FEBRUARY 2008 | . | |
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| Reconstruction of Davao’s oldest bridge completed by early August |
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DAVAO CITY – The reconstruction of the Gov. Generoso Bridge, the oldest span
in this city, will be completed by early August this year, Department of
Public Works and Highways Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane assured President
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during her visit here Wednesday. Formerly known as the Bankerohan Bridge, the 58-year-old bridge along the Davao-Cotobato Road was badly damaged during the typhoon that battered Davao last year. The President arrived here Wednesday to look into the status of ongoing government infrastructure projects in Region XI, including the Gov. Generoso Bridge, which is situated in the heart of the city’s bustling commercial district. Ebdane, who accompanied the President in her inspection of public works projects here, said the DPWH will see to it that the contractor of the span will meet the August construction deadline. The President also congratulated Ebdane for the P10 million the government saved from the implementation of the project. The DPWH chief said that the original cost estimate of the 170.88-linear bridge project was P216 million but his department awarded the contract to the bidder who offered the lowest bid of P206 million, thus the P10 million savings. The President, in a light-blue raincoat jacket, braved the slight shower to view the ongoing construction of the bridge. Ebdane informed her that Pier I of the bridge was already completed, and that the contractor has started the construction of Pier II. The President expressed elation over the progress of the project which, when completed, will cut the travel time between the neighboring provinces of Davao and Cotabato. Moreover, the bridge will improve traffic conditions on the Maa Road intersection along MacArthur Highway in Matina, all the way to Quirino Avenue on the other side of the Davao River, the DPWH said. The old Bankerohan span, which had a maximum load capacity of 45 tons, was built over five years from 1946 to 1950. |
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| Lady municipal mayors vow full support for PGMA |
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The country’s 235-strong association of lady municipal mayors has
unanimously thrown its full and unrelenting support for President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo’s presidency. In a Manifesto of Support, the lady mayors said they have unanimously decided to give their “full support for all the advocacies and programs” of President Arroyo. The manifesto was handed to the President by Mayor Madeline Ong of Laoang, Northern Samar, president of the Lady Municipal Mayors Association of the Philippines (LMMAP), at the Heroes’ Hall in Malacanang this morning. Ong handed the manifesto to the President after the simple oath-taking ceremony for the newly elected members of LMMAP’s executive committee. Also inducted by the President were the new set of officers and directors of the People Management Association of the Philippines (PMAP), and the Metro Manila Federation of Environment Multi-Purpose Cooperatives (MMFEMPC). In their manifesto, the lady town mayors pointed out that they were “renewing and strengthening (their) unrelenting support to her administration and programs of government.” They also vowed to continue their “dedication and loyalty” to the President. Earlier last Monday, the national directorate of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) headed by Binalonan, Pangasinan Mayor Ramon Guico presented their “full and unconditional” support for the President. Last Wednesday in Davao City, the LMP’s Mindanao Island Cluster presented to the President its own manifesto of “solid support” for her administration. |
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| PGMA formally opens RP's first oceanarium |
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President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo formally inaugurated today the country's
first state-of-the-art oceanarium or large marine aquarium that showcases
the Philippines' rich diverse marine species. The President cut the ceremonial ribbon signaling the soft opening of the much-awaited oceanarium of the Manila Ocean Park, along with Sen. Richard Gordon, Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim, Philippine Tourism Authority General Manager Robert Dean Barbers and the foreign investors from the China Oceanic Group. The President then toured the oceanarium, the main attraction of the P1.1-billion Manila Ocean Park located at the back of the Quirino Grandstand at the Rizal Park. While touring the oceanarium that features thousands of sharks, colorful tropical fishes of various species and invertebrates indigenous to the Philippines, she was briefed by Manila Ocean Park president Lim Chee Yong. The Philippines forms 70 percent of the global epicenter of marine diversity known as the Coral Triangle. The marine theme park is being built on a 1.2-hectare lot overlooking the Manila Bay. The project is expected to create some 1,830 new jobs as well as increase business activity in that part of Manila. The Manila Ocean Park, when completed, will include the already finished oceanarium, a marine discovery park, promenade areas, a board walk and a themed and landscaped pavilion. A joint undertaking of Singaporean, Malaysian, Chinese and Australian proponents led by China Oceanic Group, the Manila Ocean Park will be a major tourist destination in the country and Southeast Asia, Barbers said. ''It is a people's park along the bay for both local and foreign tourists to enjoy,'' Barbers added. The theme park will feature a ''jungle trek, “seven seas,” and ''lost Atlantis,” he said. |
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| PGMA inaugurates Nestle Business Services |
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MEYCAUAYAN CITY, Bulacan--President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo inaugurated
today the Nestle Philippines' Nestle Business Services (NBS) in Barangay
Malhacan, Meycauayan City in the province of Bulacan. After formally opening the Manila Ocean Park's Oceanarium in Manila this morning, the President motored to this city to inaugurate another foreign investment project that recognizes the country's world-class capabilities in providing financial and employee services. Nestle NBS-Asia-Oceania-Africa Zone Chair Nandu Nandkishore said the establishment of the NBS, a separate entity from Nestle Philippines, is a ''major manifestation of the Nestle Group's continuing confidence and commitment to support the long-term economic growth of the Philippines. He said the Nestle Group considered a number of countries as possible site for the NBS, but finally selected the Philippines because of talent availability and cost efficiency. The NBS would serve the financial and employee service requirements of Nestle companies in the Asia, Oceania and Africa Zone. The zone includes the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Australia and New Zealand. Financial services include the account payables and receivables and accounting operations while employee services cover payroll, human resource administration, time management and benefits administration. Nandkishore said the Nestle Group has implemented the shared service- model in Europe and the Americas to maximize cost of effectiveness, efficiency and improved quality in financial and employee service transactions. There are now 130 seats at the NBS but Nandkishore said these would be expanded to 400 next year. The Nestle Group is a Switzerland-based food company. In the last five years, Nestle's investments in the country have hit P10 billion. In 2006, Nestle Philippines' sales reached P67.2 billion with exports amounting to P6.4 billion or nearly 10 percent of sales. |
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| PGMA brings fruits of improved economy to Bulakenyos |
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Undaunted by the political noise her critics are waging, President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo remains laser focused on bringing to the people the
benefits of an improved economy--- this time, to Meycauayan City and the
municipality of Sta. Maria in Bulacan. Starting her day with the soft-opening of the country’s first oceanarium at the Manila Ocean Park, located at the back of Quirino Grandstand in Rizal Park, Manila, the President motored to Meycauayan City to inaugurate the Nestle Business Services center, then proceeded to the inaugural drive-through of the P87-million Meycauayan Bridge along MacArthur Highway in Barangay Banga. The President, who was visibly in high spirits, unveiled the bridge’s inaugural marker, then she boarded a top-down vehicle that took her through the 340-lineal meter, four-lane flat slab bridge. Public Works and Highways Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane briefed the President on the vital infrastructure that would serve as an alternative route for passenger vehicles, cargo trucks and trailers coming from the northern part of Metro Manila. The superstructure bridge is a vital part of the Manila North Road improvement project under the President’s plan to decongest the metropolis’s traffic. The President’s last stop was the groundbreaking ceremony on the P3.985-million two-storey, four-classroom building of the Sta. Maria Central School in Sta. Maria, Bulacan. The President, assisted by Bulacan Gov. Joselito Mendoza, Sta. Maria Mayor Bartolome Ramos, and Department of Education (DepEd) Regional Director Dr. Mario Ramirez, laid the time capsule for the school building. The new school building, set to start construction next week (March 3) and to be completed in a month’s time (June 3) just as when classes are about to start for schoolyear 2008-2009, is part of the President’s thrust to address the classroom gap and the provision of adequate facilities conducive to learning to achieve quality education for all. Around 10,000 residents trooped to the school grounds to meet the President who was greeted with cheers by the 2,900 pupils, waving flaglets while shouting “Gloria, Gloria, Gloria!” At the school’s gymnasium, the President, together with Trade Secretary Peter Favila and Mayor Mendoza, distributed some 7,000 grocery gift packs that consisted of rice, canned goods and noodles; 150 Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Scholarship vouchers covering training programs for butchery, welding and call center agents; 500 PhilHealth cards; and 50 TESDA Tool kits (25 masseuse kits and 25 mechanic kits, each worth P500). |
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| Friday just another busy day for PGMA |
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For President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, today (Friday) is just another busy
day. Malacanang said this morning that as usual, the President will put in a full day’s work, starting at 10 a.m. despite the anti-Arroyo administration demonstration in Makati City that its organizers have billed as an interfaith rally. In her first official schedule of the day, the President inducted the new members of the executive directorate of the 235-strong Lady Municipal Mayors Association of the Philippines (LMMAP) at the Heroes’ Hall in Malacañang. The lady mayors trooped to the Palace this morning to pledge their full and unwavering support for the President in the face of calls by detractors for her resignation. Also inducted by the President were the new set of officers and directors of the People Management Association of the Philippines, and the Metro Manila Federation of Environment Multipurpose Cooperatives. After the two Malacañang activities, the President motored to the Quirino Grandstand in the Luneta in Manila for the soft opening of the Manila Ocean Park, the Philippines first state-of-the-art oceanarium. After her oceanarium schedule, the President went to Brgy. Malhacan in Meycauayan City, Bulacan to inaugurate the Nestle Business Service (NBS) Asia–Oceania-Africa (AOA), a new corporate entity of the global Nestle Group, NBS-AOA will serve as E-shared service center for financial and employee service needs of Nestle companies in Zone AOA. From Brgy. Malhacan, the President went on an inaugural drive-through the Meycauayan Bridge in Brgy. Banga, also in Meycauayan. The Meycauayan span is an alternate route for vehicles, cargo trucks and trailers coming from the northern part of Metro Manila. The bridge is a vital component of the Manila North Road upgrading program under the President’s 10-point legacy agenda to decongest traffic in Metro Manila. From Meycauayan City, the President and her party proceeded to Sta. Maria, Bulacan for the groundbreaking ceremony of the two-storey. four-classroom Sta. Maria Central School building. Meanwhile, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said today he hoped that the mass action in Makati would be conducted in a peaceful manner. In an ambush interview with Malacanang reporters, Ermita said that it does not matter whether “10,000, or 5,000, or 20,000” people attend the rally. “Ang mahalaga, peaceful yung rally,” he said, adding that the police will be there to maintain peace and order. |
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